Phoenix police arrest 4 in downtown protest

Phoenix police arrested four people involved in a protest Saturday night on suspicion of obstructing roadways, resisting arrest and one count of assaulting an officer, officials said.

Two of the four people arrested, Lee Percy Christian and Kristen “Poet” Byrd, are self-described leaders with the W.E. Rising Project, a local group that has organized dozens of protests against police brutality in the wake of George Floyd’s death on May 25.

On Saturday, protesters had gathered at Phoenix City Hall to paint signs and march through downtown, according to a post on Twitter, as they have on many nights before.

The W.E. Rising Project did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Several dozen people began protests at about 6:30 p.m., in the area of 200 W. Washington St., according to Phoenix police spokesman Sgt. Tommy Thompson.

Officers warned the crowd of several dozen people to keep roadways clear, but Thompson said the group continued to block intersections.

Christian and Byrd were arrested about 9 p.m. near Second Avenue and Fillmore Street on suspicion of obstructing a public thoroughfare, along with Ryan Tice and Jonah Ivy, both 22. Police said Ivy and Byrd also face charges of blocking public thoroughfares on two occasions earlier in the week.

Tice, Bird and Christian also face charges of resisting arrest, though Thompson did not describe the circumstances.

According to Thompson, Christian also fought with officers and police fired a single “diversionary round” during the scuffle.

Christian was charged with assaulting a police officer, and Tice was charged with hindering prosecution after police said he interfered with another arrest by pulling officers away, according to Thompson.